


Overt

by iLurked



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Import from Tumblr, Pre-1x16
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2014-03-11
Packaged: 2018-01-19 11:08:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1467283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iLurked/pseuds/iLurked
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Simmons goes undercover. Ward is doomed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Houston we have a problem.”

Grant Ward frowned at Skye, who was making her way over to the living room where he and Fitz were waiting for the women to finish so that they could finally start their evening.

“What’s up?” Fitz asked.

“It’s Jemma.” Skye replied, her voice too loud. “She refuses to leave her bunk.”

Ward exhaled noisily. He was afraid that Simmons would choke. Despite his heated protests because of her inexperience and inability to improvise on the field, Coulson gave the go-ahead to built their entire op around her. It was important for her to step up and do her part.

“My dress,” Simmons called back from somewhere near the bunks. “Has no back.”

“Stop overreacting!” Skye shouted impatiently. “And get out here.”

“Fine,” Simmons answered, her voice becoming louder as she came nearer the group. “But I would also like to make it of record that not only does my dress have no back, there’s not enough front to it to hold my breasts inside.”

The two men’s jaw dropped open when Jemma came into view.

Skye grinned, admiring her handiwork. She had cajoled, bribed, bullied, and thereafter poured a reluctant Jemma Simmons into a form-fitting, floor-length gold ball gown that covered her arms but left the middle part of her chest bare. Plus, as Jemma had earlier shouted, her dress had no back.

“You look perfect!” Skye screeched. “This is the proudest moment of my life.”

“My dress,” Simmons repeated, glaring at Skye. “Has no back.”

“So you’ve said.” Skye waved her friend’s objections away. “Stop obsessing.”

“Skye!” Fitz finally found his voice. “I thought the object was for Jemma not to get kidnapped!”

“She’s going to Montecarlo, Fitz!” Skye rolled her eyes. “To dine with a prince. She can’t wear her cardigans and sweaters there. I just made sure she looked sexy.”

“There’s a difference between sexy and slutty, Skye!” Jemma cried out. “And I think I just crossed the line.”

“You’re just overreacting because you’re not used to wearing clothes like that.” Skye assured her. “Trust me, you’re perfect.”

“Is it too late to get another dress?” Fitz asked, worried.

“Ward, you’re a guy, right?” Skye nudged her S.O. “Tell Jemma she’s perfect.”

She did. She really, really did. Ward had travelled the world twice over and had seen a lot of beautiful and exotic women, but none of them had grabbed him the way she did. However, it was not the dress, the artfully arranged hair on top of her head, or the careful application of makeup that had Ward’s stomach painfully twisting in knots every time he saw her. Sure, they were great and highlighted her natural beauty, but they were only icing on the cake. No, what really set Simmons apart from others could not really be defined by what she wore or how she arranged herself. Therefore, her dress was of no moment.

With these thoughts in mind, the specialist only crossed his arms and barked out, “You’ll do.”

Simmons’ face fell and she looked as if he had just kicked her puppy. Both Fitz and Skye glared daggers at him.

He sighed. This was going to be one long op.


	2. Chapter 2

"My name is—"

"Jemma Simmons."

"And you are—"

"Grant Ward."

"And we are—"

"SHIELD agents." Ward sighed as he braked for a red light. "Look, Simmons, you have to relax. This is not an undercover op. Our goal is not to infiltrate, only to gather intelligence." 

"If that is true," Simmons pitch was steadily rising, betraying her nervousness. "Then why do you have to pose as my date?" 

"It’s just a precaution." Ward replied easily, as he accelerated on the road. "Fitz said that there was almost an international incident because the Crown Prince of Behrouz wanted to marry you?"

"Fitz," Simmons sniffed delicately. "Was exaggerating. And there was no international incident. Prince Xerxes merely asked my father for my hand in marriage. As I was sixteen and he thirteen at that time, my father thought it prudent to ask him to wait."

"Xerxes." Ward shook his head. "What idiot would name his firstborn son Xerxes?"

"An idiot who is also the King of Behrouz," Simmons was obviously disgruntled. "An idiot named King Darius who, in his ten-year reign, managed to staunch the political instability, violence, and corruption that menaced his country. The same King Darius who strengthened his country’s military so much that SHIELD opted to send a two-man team to finagle an invite into his country so that the status of an 0-8-4 can be checked instead of risking a war. You mean that idiot?"

"Point." Ward grinned. 

Simmons sighed. “I don’t want to mess this up like I messed up the last time.”

"You didn’t mess up the last time," Ward told her. At her incredulous look, he added. "Too much. You didn’t mess up too much."

"Thank for making me feel better." she told him glumly. "But I find it hard to fabricate."

"The secret to telling lies," Ward replied sagely. "Is to keep it simple and as close as possible to the truth."

Simmons turned to him fully. “Go on?”

"And in this op, you don’t even have to lie." he continued. "You were chosen to go because of your connection to the Crown Prince. Just be yourself."

"Be myself," Simmons repeated to herself. "I can do that. Right?"

"We’re here." Ward announced. 

Simmons grabbed his arm in alarm. “I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

"You are. Coulson and Hand would not have allowed you to do this if they did’t believe you can do it." Ward reached for her hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze before releasing it.  

Simmons beamed just as her door was opened by a valet.   

"Ready?"   

Simmons nodded before she allowed herself to be assisted down the low-riding car.  

 ”This is actually quite exciting,” Ward heard Simmons gush as they walked through the hotel doors.   

A corner of Ward’s lips rose. Her enthusiasm was almost contagious.   

Ward placed a hand at Simmons’ lower back, rationalising that he was, after all, playing a part. But his hand had not yet touch her skin when he felt a painful jolt of electricity.  

"Son of a—" Ward suddenly halted in the middle of the lobby. "What was that?"

  Simmons, who was already a few steps ahead, turned to face him with a confused frown. “What was what?”

  ”I was electrocuted by your gown.”  

"Oh. That’s Fitz’s last minute modification to my gown." Simmons dimpled. "It’s an anti-harrassment device. If someone’s hand stray too near my bum, it sends out a jolt of electricity to discourage any unwanted advances."  

Ward made a mental note to talk to Fitz later.

  Upon reaching the restaurant, Simmons gave her name to the maître d’. When he realised that they were dining with the prince, he surprised them by almost genuflecting before leading them inside.

When it became obvious which table he was leading them to, Simmons’ steps faltered and she gasped. 

"I thought Fitz said Prince Xerxes was a loser?" Ward whispered to Simmons. 

"That is just mean." Simmons sniffed, offended. "He’s perfectly sweet."

Ward frowned.

"And what he looked like does not matter," Simmons continued. "But, oh my goodness, he’s drop dead gorgeous now."

Instead of the overweight, pimply boy Fitz painted him to be, Xerxes was tall and lean. And Simmons had just described him as gorgeous: the drop dead kind.

The stunning prince stood up when the two agents reached his table. “Miss Jemma Simmons,” he reached for her hand and bowed over it. “It is great seeing you again. Your beauty still brings the sun to shame.”

Ward frowned as Simmons blushed. He would have thought that the scientist, of all people, would be immune to flattery.

"Your highness," Simmons actually curtsied. "It is nice to see you, too. And look at you, all grown up."

"Yes," Prince Xerxes laughed. "Puberty had been good to me. Aren’t you going to introduce me to your companion?" 

"Oh, yes. I almost forgot." 

Ward’s jaw clenched.

"This is Agent Grant Ward," Simmons stated. "He’s my—"

"Fiancé." Ward interjected smoothly as he offered his hand for the prince to shake. "Pleased to meet you, your highness."

Simmons stiffened.

He slung his arm around Simmons’ shoulders, high enough not to activate Fitz’ device. He pulled her closer to him and enjoyed the prince’s scowl. “Smile, Simmons,” he whispered. “We’re engaged.”

No doubt that she was having a mini-panic attack on how to improvise at the new variable introduced by Ward.

Well, it served her right.


End file.
